What are the responsibilities and job description for the Park Guide position at U.S. Department of the Interior?
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Duties
ARPO: Provides a wide range of services to visitors. Guide is responsible for staffing the visitor center, providing current, accurate information concerning the NPS and other surrounding area of interest, explaining the area's recreational opportunities, including NPS interpretive services. Additionally, provide public orientation and explanations of current park events, and informs visitors of potential safety hazards. This position answers a wide variety of visitor questions that arise from diverse origins, including visitor observation, interest or the nature of the programs. The answers to these questions require explanation and description of the background of the events and the introduction and discussion of an extensive body of facts, events, personalities, and circumstances. This position also answers the telephone and emails, helps with the association bookstore as well as presenting pre-established interpretative programs and assists with special events.
WICL: Provides a wide range of services to visitors. Guide is responsible for presenting pre-established tours of the birthplace home, staffing the visitor center, providing current, accurate information concerning the NPS and other surrounding area of interest, including NPS interpretive services. Additionally, provide public orientation and explanations of current park events, and informs visitors of potential safety hazards. This position answers a wide variety of visitor questions that arise from diverse origins, including visitor observation, interest or the nature of the programs. The answers to these questions require explanation and description of the background of the events and the introduction and discussion of an extensive body of facts, events, personalities, and circumstances. This position also answers the telephone and emails, helps with the association bookstore and assists with special events.
FOLS: Working Visitor Center Desk, guided tours, wearing period clothes when staffing furnished buildings, assist with special events and interpretive programs.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The work requires standing for long periods of time, walking for long distances, climbing and descending steep inclines, bending, and lifting moderately heavy items. Mental stress and physical fatigue occur due to high volume of personal contacts, occasional emergency responses, and repetitive nature of interpretive programs.
WORK ENVIRONMENT: Work is performed both indoors and outdoors resulting in exposure to a variety of weather conditions.
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Requirements
Conditions of Employment
All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-01/27/2025-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.
Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST clearly indicate the nature of the duties and responsibilities for each position, starting and ending dates of employment (month/year), and the resume must reflect full and/or part-time or total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40 hours a week, rather than indicating full-time). If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount of qualified specialized experience.
To Qualify For This Position At The GS-05 Grade Level, You Must Possess At Least One Of The Following Minimum Qualifications By Close Of The Announcement:
EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-04 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized Experience is experience that involved oral presentation of historical, scientific, or program information to groups; or contribute to developing and/or revising technical, historical, or scientific information for oral presentation to groups. Examples of specialized experience could include Park Guide or tour leader; museum or observatory guide, docent, naturalist; environmental educator or teacher; teaching assistant; or other similar work. You must include hours per week worked.
-OR-
EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least four-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to American history, science and/or public speaking. You must include transcripts.
-OR-
Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. Only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirements. Two full academic years of study, or 60 semester hours, beyond the second year is equivalent to one year of specialized experience. Specialized experience (50% of the experience requirements for this position and grade level) combined with one year of education as outlined above (50% of the education required to qualify), which included at least 6 semester hours of related courses such as American history, science, or public speaking (50% of the directly related courses required). You must include transcripts.
Volunteer Experience: Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Education
To qualify based on education, you must submit a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.
If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you must show that your education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.
Additional information
ARPO and FOLS Career-Seasonal appointments are permanent positions and include the same benefits as Career appointments, but do not provide work on a year-round basis.
A selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected. The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay.
A Recruitment Incentive May Be Authorized for a newly selected employee when appointed to a permanent, temporary, or term position. A Federal employee who is transferring to the National Park Service from another component, bureau or Federal agency and who does not meet the conditions under 5 CFR 575.102 is not eligible for a recruitment incentive.
A Relocation Incentive May Be Authorized for a Federal employee when the employee must move, as directed by the National Park Service (NPS) either through a management directed reassignment or selection for employment, to a different location at least 50 miles away from the one where his/her position of record held at time of selection is currently located, due to a need of the NPS. A relocation incentive is not the same as a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move and, as such, may be granted in conjunction with one another.
This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.
Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire
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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
A review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the Occupational Questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses provided in the Occupational Questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation, you will be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score may be adjusted accordingly. If a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully; errors or omissions may affect your rating.
You Will Be Evaluated Based On How Well You Meet The Qualifications Listed In This Vacancy Announcement. Your Qualifications Will Be Evaluated Based On Your Application Materials (e.g., Resume, Supporting Documents), Your Responses On The Application Questionnaire, And Your Responses To All Assessments Required For This Position. You Will Be Assessed On The Following Competencies (knowledge, Skills, Abilities, And Other Characteristics):
Candidates Will Be Rated And Ranked Using Category Rating Procedures. These Procedures Place Candidates With Veteran's Preference Above Non-preference Eligibles Within Each Category. Veterans With a Service Connected Disability Of At Least 10 Percent Are Listed In The Highest Quality Category, Except When The Position Being Filled Is Scientific Or Professional At The GS-09 Grade Level Or Higher. Under Category Rating, Candidates Will Be Rated And Ranked Into One Of Three Categories:
Duties
ARPO: Provides a wide range of services to visitors. Guide is responsible for staffing the visitor center, providing current, accurate information concerning the NPS and other surrounding area of interest, explaining the area's recreational opportunities, including NPS interpretive services. Additionally, provide public orientation and explanations of current park events, and informs visitors of potential safety hazards. This position answers a wide variety of visitor questions that arise from diverse origins, including visitor observation, interest or the nature of the programs. The answers to these questions require explanation and description of the background of the events and the introduction and discussion of an extensive body of facts, events, personalities, and circumstances. This position also answers the telephone and emails, helps with the association bookstore as well as presenting pre-established interpretative programs and assists with special events.
WICL: Provides a wide range of services to visitors. Guide is responsible for presenting pre-established tours of the birthplace home, staffing the visitor center, providing current, accurate information concerning the NPS and other surrounding area of interest, including NPS interpretive services. Additionally, provide public orientation and explanations of current park events, and informs visitors of potential safety hazards. This position answers a wide variety of visitor questions that arise from diverse origins, including visitor observation, interest or the nature of the programs. The answers to these questions require explanation and description of the background of the events and the introduction and discussion of an extensive body of facts, events, personalities, and circumstances. This position also answers the telephone and emails, helps with the association bookstore and assists with special events.
FOLS: Working Visitor Center Desk, guided tours, wearing period clothes when staffing furnished buildings, assist with special events and interpretive programs.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The work requires standing for long periods of time, walking for long distances, climbing and descending steep inclines, bending, and lifting moderately heavy items. Mental stress and physical fatigue occur due to high volume of personal contacts, occasional emergency responses, and repetitive nature of interpretive programs.
WORK ENVIRONMENT: Work is performed both indoors and outdoors resulting in exposure to a variety of weather conditions.
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Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- U.S. Citizenship required.
- Appointment subject to background investigation and favorable adjudication.
- Meet Selective Service Registration Act requirement for males.
- Complete the initial online assessment and USAHire Assessment, if required.
- Selectee will be required to participate in the Direct Deposit Electronics Funds Transfer Program.
- You may be required to operate a government (or private) motor vehicle as part of your official duties. Prior to your first official motor vehicle operation, and again every year thereafter (or more frequently if management determines such need exists), you will be required to sign an affidavit certifying to your possession of a valid State issued driver's license that is current and has not been revoked, suspended, canceled, or otherwise disqualified in any way to prohibit your operation of a motor vehicle. You will also submit a photocopy of your valid State issued driver's license prior to your first official motor vehicle operation, and again every year, or more frequently if management determines such need exists. Lastly, you may be required to submit (within a State sealed envelope or submitted directly by the State authorities), and at your own expense, all certified driving records from all States that discloses all valid driver's licenses, whether current or past, possessed by you. Please indicate in your application whether you possess a valid State driver's license.
- You will be required to wear a uniform and comply with the National Park Service uniform standards. A uniform allowance will be provided.
- If you are a new employee or supervisor in the Federal government, you will be required to complete a one-year probationary period.
All qualifications must be met by the closing date of this announcement-01/27/2025-unless otherwise stated in this vacancy announcement.
Credit will be given for all appropriate qualifying experience. To receive credit for experience, your resume MUST clearly indicate the nature of the duties and responsibilities for each position, starting and ending dates of employment (month/year), and the resume must reflect full and/or part-time or total number of hours worked (i.e., work 40 hours a week, rather than indicating full-time). If part-time, the hours must be annotated to be able to pro-rate the amount of qualified specialized experience.
To Qualify For This Position At The GS-05 Grade Level, You Must Possess At Least One Of The Following Minimum Qualifications By Close Of The Announcement:
EXPERIENCE: At least one full year of specialized experience comparable in scope and responsibility to the GS-04 grade level in the Federal service (obtained in either the public or private sectors). Specialized Experience is experience that involved oral presentation of historical, scientific, or program information to groups; or contribute to developing and/or revising technical, historical, or scientific information for oral presentation to groups. Examples of specialized experience could include Park Guide or tour leader; museum or observatory guide, docent, naturalist; environmental educator or teacher; teaching assistant; or other similar work. You must include hours per week worked.
-OR-
EDUCATION: Successful completion of at least four-year course of study above high school leading to a bachelor's degree with courses related to American history, science and/or public speaking. You must include transcripts.
-OR-
Successful completion of a combination of education and experience as described above. Only education in excess of the first 60 semester hours of a course of study leading to a bachelor's degree is creditable toward meeting the specialized experience requirements. Two full academic years of study, or 60 semester hours, beyond the second year is equivalent to one year of specialized experience. Specialized experience (50% of the experience requirements for this position and grade level) combined with one year of education as outlined above (50% of the education required to qualify), which included at least 6 semester hours of related courses such as American history, science, or public speaking (50% of the directly related courses required). You must include transcripts.
Volunteer Experience: Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
Education
To qualify based on education, you must submit a legible copy of transcripts from an accredited institution with your name, school name, credit hours, course level, major(s), and grade-point average or class ranking. Transcripts do not need to be official, but if you are selected for this position and you used your education to qualify, you must provide official transcripts before you begin work.
If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet qualification requirements, you must show that your education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university.
Additional information
ARPO and FOLS Career-Seasonal appointments are permanent positions and include the same benefits as Career appointments, but do not provide work on a year-round basis.
- ARPO: You will work from approximately 11.5 months (end-November-mid-November), and you will be in a non-pay status for the remainder of the year.
- FOLS: You will work from approximately 10 months (March-December), and you will be in a non-pay status for the remainder of the year.
A selectee receiving a first appointment to the Federal Government (Civil Service) is entitled only to the lowest step of the grade for which selected. The display of a salary range on this vacancy shall not be construed as granting an entitlement to a higher rate of pay.
A Recruitment Incentive May Be Authorized for a newly selected employee when appointed to a permanent, temporary, or term position. A Federal employee who is transferring to the National Park Service from another component, bureau or Federal agency and who does not meet the conditions under 5 CFR 575.102 is not eligible for a recruitment incentive.
A Relocation Incentive May Be Authorized for a Federal employee when the employee must move, as directed by the National Park Service (NPS) either through a management directed reassignment or selection for employment, to a different location at least 50 miles away from the one where his/her position of record held at time of selection is currently located, due to a need of the NPS. A relocation incentive is not the same as a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move and, as such, may be granted in conjunction with one another.
This announcement may be used to fill additional positions if identical vacancies occur within 90 days of the issue date of the referral certificate.
Reasonable Accommodation (RA) Requests: If you believe you have a disability (i.e., physical or mental), covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended that would interfere with completing the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, you will be granted the opportunity to request a RA in your online application. Requests for RA for the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments and appropriate supporting documentation for RA must be received prior to starting the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments. Decisions on requests for RA are made on a case-by-case basis. If you meet the minimum qualifications of the position, after notification of the adjudication of your request, you will receive an email invitation to complete the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, based on your adjudication decision. You must complete all assessments within 48 hours of receiving the URL to access the USA Hire Competency Based Assessments, if you received the link after the close of the announcement. To determine if you need a RA, please review the Procedures for Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for Online Assessments here: https://help.usastaffing.gov/Apply/index.php?title=Reasonable_Accommodations_for_USA_Hire
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- Help Help A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
A review of your resume and supporting documentation will be made and compared against your responses to the Occupational Questionnaire to determine if you are qualified for this job. If your resume is incomplete or does not support the responses provided in the Occupational Questionnaire, or if you fail to submit all required documentation, you will be rated 'ineligible', 'not qualified', or your score may be adjusted accordingly. If a determination is made that you have inflated your qualifications or experience, you may lose consideration for this position. Please follow all instructions carefully; errors or omissions may affect your rating.
You Will Be Evaluated Based On How Well You Meet The Qualifications Listed In This Vacancy Announcement. Your Qualifications Will Be Evaluated Based On Your Application Materials (e.g., Resume, Supporting Documents), Your Responses On The Application Questionnaire, And Your Responses To All Assessments Required For This Position. You Will Be Assessed On The Following Competencies (knowledge, Skills, Abilities, And Other Characteristics):
- Attention to Detail
- Customer Service
- Flexibility
- Integrity/Honesty
- Interpersonal Skills
- Manages and Organizes Information
- Oral Communication
- Reading Comprehension
- Self-Management
- Stress Tolerance
- Teamwork
- Technical Competence
- Technology Application
Candidates Will Be Rated And Ranked Using Category Rating Procedures. These Procedures Place Candidates With Veteran's Preference Above Non-preference Eligibles Within Each Category. Veterans With a Service Connected Disability Of At Least 10 Percent Are Listed In The Highest Quality Category, Except When The Position Being Filled Is Scientific Or Professional At The GS-09 Grade Level Or Higher. Under Category Rating, Candidates Will Be Rated And Ranked Into One Of Three Categories:
- Best Qualified - applicants possessing experience that substantially exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are highly proficient in all requirements of the job and can perform effectively in the position
- Well Qualified - applicants possessing experience that exceeds the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in most of the requirements of the job
- Qualified - applicants possessing experience that meets the minimum qualifications of the position including all selective factors and are proficient in some, but not all of the requirements of the job.
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